Prayer

(Scroll to the bottom of the page to see J.John’s interview with Pete Greig)

Prayer is at the heart of all we do as a church family.

Without prayer, we are simply chasing the wind, journeying down a dead end street. Jesus said we should, “ask, seek, knock” – (Matthew 7:7) it is in the asking, seeking and knocking that we begin to discover God’s unique plan for our lives and for our church. That’s why brainstorming in a church context is such a bad idea – it’s earthbound and people centred. We need a captivating vision inspired by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit through prayer and seeking God, then comes the practical outworking of that vision empowered and inspired by God.

We have a number of opportunities for personal and group prayer in our church.

1. Prayer Triplets:

We have a number of Prayer Triplets meeting every week or every fortnight. They may meet in a home or a coffee shop or under a tree on the hill – wherever is convenient and conducive for prayer. For those who are not used to praying out loud, we have Prayer Postcards that can be read out in the group and suggested liturgy that some find helpful in this context. Whatever you are comfortable with, find two other people and arrange to meet. Click this link to download some guidelines that you might find useful:

Prayer Triplet Guidelines

Every Thursday morning at 8.30am, a few people meet in the chancel of Quainton Church, and share a simple liturgy together using Postcard Prayers and a couple of Bible Readings. Different people lead each week and we find this a really valuable time. All are welcome. Most of us go for coffee at the George afterwards – and the prayer session lasts around 20 minutes. If you don’t feel able to speak out loud, that’s absolutely fine too, just join in as you are able.

3. Quiet Reflection

A number of people from our village and the wider community come into the church during the week – it’s open during daylight hours – and sit quietly to think and pray. They often light a candle to remember someone or a situation before God in prayer. These are precious moments for many of us who live such a busy lifestyle – time to stop and reflect.

Many are inspired by what I have named, “The Resurrection Window,” the East window situated over the Communion Table in the Chancel. The middle five pictures tell the story of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the bottom five pictures tell the story of the raising by Jesus of Lazarus from the dead. The stories come alive when the rising sun shines through.

J.John’s interview with Pete Greig: